New Table & Whiskey Joe's

Last weekend, my hubby and I had a really fun weekend.  No, I mean really fun!  And we have something beautiful to show for it.

We try to have a fun day on Saturdays.  In the middle of winter, we both tend to get cabin fever.  Short, cold days keep us indoors for much of the week, and we both have office jobs, so by the time Saturday comes around, it's time to get out.  Last Saturday was one of those fun days.

We started off the day by going to check out a local donut shop.  The shop has been here long before we moved here, but we'd just never gone.  But this was a day of adventure, and we found a new favorite donut shop...that I guess we won't be visiting again for a while, thanks to our upcoming diet changes.  But it was a great way to start the day!

Our next stop was over to a collection of primitive and antique shops all in one place, because I was looking for some local raw honey that I knew was sold there.  While looking for the honey, we happened to notice a smallish table displaying other items for sale, and the table seemed to call to us.  Once we started looking it over, we knew it was exactly what we've been looking for for so long.  It was a little smaller than 3' x 4', and completely made of restored barn wood by a local woodworking shop called Whiskey Joe's.  It had a beautiful honey colored finish to it, and it was just the right size for our small dining area (we just have an eat-in kitchen, no dining room).  We had another table there that just hasn't fit well since we purchased our current house--it was round, and despite the fact that two of the sides folded down to make a rectangle-ish shape, we could just never make it fit well and be functional in the dining space.  We also had a short console in front of the window, which just ate up more space in the dining area.  The whole space didn't work.  But searched as we did, we never could find something to replace it--until now!

The price was a little higher than we wanted, but wasn't unreasonable for something that would last longer that we will.  We hovered around it for quite a while before moving on, checking out other tables and accessories also by Whiskey Joe's scattered around the building.  We did find the honey and purchased a bottle (which is delicious, by the way), but left without the table.  We went to other stores around town, but couldn't get the table out of our heads.

The next morning, we still wanted the table!  It's usually a good idea for me to take some time to think about large purchases, and more times than not, when I do that, I decide against the purchase.  Not this time, though!  We both knew this was the table, and if we didn't buy it now, it might not be there later.  So we went back out there that afternoon and purchased our new dining room table, and we couldn't be happier!  It it just perfect for us and the space it's in.  Plus, with the other table and the console gone, it looks so clean and simple now, and will be perfect when we put our home up for sale in the future. 

We're not sure of the age of the wood

Original nails still in the wood

The surface has many nicks and scratches from a hundred (or more) years of use

If you live in Northwest Ohio or down around the Columbus, Ohio area, check out Whiskey Joe's.  They have some really beautiful pieces, pictures of which can be seen on their Facebook page.  I'd love to get one of their multi-candle holders and hand-carved bowls, too, and wouldn't be opposed to getting a larger dining table from them in the future.  I love the look of the refinished barnwood, and it is so sturdy and solid that I know it will last for another hundred years!

We've had the table for a week now, and have enjoyed nearly every dinner on its worn and polished surface.   In fact, we had a delicious dinner on Friday night:

A loaf of crusty bread, the honey that led us to the table, a salad of kale, red and green lettuce, carrrots and tomatoes, and a Pinterest recipe that I altered a bit for chicken and pesto bake (the link will take you to the original recipe).  It was delicious, and as you can see, our table works perfectly!!